Education

Teachers who work together succeed together!

As an independent private school, Oakhill Day School has the freedom to give teachers autonomy so they can work together to ensure each student becomes their best self. They work across grade levels to plan lessons as a team, putting their heads together and coming up with new ideas. The focus is on collaboration between one another so they can create a learning environment that is both inspiring and welcoming.Several of these caring teachers shared their thoughts on this positive concept...

October 2024

Food + Beverage

A Taste of Home

European bakery Burek & Cake is getting noticed for its traditional Bosnian treats Article by Reilly Atkins | Photography by Hannah Schreiner Fatima Hodzic never planned to open a bakery, but it had been a quiet dream for decades.  Fatima grew up in Bosnia, the child of a father who died in the war. She and her mom were close, and spent time together baking to feed the family. They made breads and sweets, but what they baked the most was burek, a savory pastry of rolled phyllo dough filled...

September 2024

Food + Beverage

Eat & Play

A round-up of Northland eateries where the restaurant is the activity! Article by Katie Currid There are restaurants, and then there are activities. But if you’re planning a night with friends, a date night, or a family night out (or you just don’t want to cook dinner!), sometimes planning both a restaurant and something to do afterward can feel like a military operation. Maybe you’re looking to keep the kids entertained so you can say one sentence without being interrupted, or the idea of...

September 2024

Food + Beverage

Family Flavors

Mission’s Thai Orchid expands to the Northland Article and Photography by Katie Currid Jonathan Rojjanasrirat grew up at Thai Orchid. He has memories as a kid from the Thai restaurant that his family ran, later working his first jobs there as a dishwasher, bus boy and server. Now he’s the owner, taking over part of his family’s legacy, and he’s got big plans.  The restaurant was one of the first Thai restaurants in Kansas City in the early 1990s, and his aunt, uncle and mom took it over in...

September 2024

Travel

Feast in the Forest

What to cook on your next camping adventure, plus Northland spots to pitch a tent Article and Photography by Gilbert Randolph It’s finally fall, which the best season for campfires, s’mores and outdoors adventures. If you’re looking to spend more quality time outside this season, here are some tips on where you can camp around the Northland, a few affordable items that will improve your experience and a few campfire-friendly recipes as well! Places to Camp If you’re looking for a camp spot...

September 2024

Arts + Culture

Bringing a Blank Canvas to Life

Local artist Julie Hansen talks about her creative process and her love of painting Article by Katie Currid | Photography by Hannah Schreiner Julie Hansen is a color lover. Her vibrant paintings rarely feature a spot of pure white. She loves mixing colors, reveling in the buttery fragility of pastels and mixing broken pieces onto paper or creating custom shades of acrylic paint with her palette knife.  We talked to the Parkville-based artist about her art, her process and what inspires her. ...

August 2024

Food + Beverage

Style and Substance

The new Osteria Bianchi wants you to invite you to the table Article and Photography by Katie Currid Walking into Osteria Bianchi feels like walking into someone’s home. The wall that greets you at the front, the one co-owner Kelly Bianchi calls the “wall of accountability,” features personal photos that showcase amazing chefs she and her husband, Josh, have met and worked with throughout their impressive careers in the food industry — not to brag but to continue to inspire the two. There...

August 2024

Home + Design

A Home for Man's Best Friend

A Platte County couple thoughtfully designed their home to cater to their furry friends Article by Diana Lambdin Meyer | Photography by Bruce N. Meyer The teardrop-shaped green labradorite pendant that Risa Canseco Groh wears each and every day is more than just a beautiful piece of jewelry. It is a piece of her heart. The pendant contains the ashes of Jet, the black lab she and her husband Brandon raised and loved together for more than 16 years.  “He was our first baby,” says Risa as she...

August 2024

Home + Design

No Adults Allowed

A look inside these cool kids' rooms in Platte City Article and Photography by Katie Currid Rory, 4, and Vada, 1, are two cool kids, so it's not surprising that their rooms reflect that. The siblings live in Platte City with their mom, Hannah, and dad, Matt, in a 1940s Dutch Colonial-esque home. Each has their own room that reflects their personality, filled with secondhand finds and toys from their parents' (or sometimes even grandparents'!) childhood. Rory's room is feels like a quirky...

July 2024

Home + Design

A cherry-picked nursery

A tour of a colorful, fruit-filled baby room Article and Photography by Katie Currid After being a boy mom for six years, I was ecstatic when we found out that our third addition would be a girl. Though I have never been a super girlie girl, I could not wait to go all-in on the nursery with some feminine touches. One of my design constraints with this room was avoiding painting the 10-foot walls while eight months pregnant, so I thought wallpaper and painted trim would be a great compromise...

July 2024